Monday 15 February
Last night, shortly before 11pm, I was locking the house up getting ready to head upstairs to bed. Standing at the backdoor, failing miserably to persuade Mabel to trot outside for her ‘final wee’, I heard ducks.
There were definitely ducks flying outside in the pitch black sky, which was also tipping down with rain. The weather had virtually flipped in a few hours. The wind had changed from easterly to south-westerly, bringing warmer and wetter air from the southern Atlantic. So why the ducks?
It seems that ducks, and pretty much every other species of waterfowl, migrate and move location at night. Come to think of it, I thought, I rarely see water birds flying during the daylight. Only the very local little fits and starts along a shoreline or edge of a waterway.
They move inland during the Winter to roost in more sheltered spots. And when they arrive from harsher climates to over winter in the UK, again, they do so under the cover of darkness. Moorhen, coots, water rails, and redshank are often flying at night as are geese, But why at night? Well often it can simply be that they have been disturbed but it could also be that it is simply less risky due to the lack of predators after dark.
Waking this morning, I lay in bed with a feeling that the day ahead should be one of work. Over the past few months the separation between workplace and home has become fuzzy. Today is Monday, and although it is half-term it feels like I should get the laptop out. Fortunately, the rest of the family will be enjoying a week off too so I will be in good company for distraction.
The temperature has changed massively, it’s risen to about 10°c today. The first time it’s gone above freezing for a week or more. Along with it, the rain. The remaining snow had melted by mid-morning. Back to soggy, muddy walks, boots and paws.
The Bald Birder 